Significant Case Decisions and Settlements
(Not all awards, decisions, and settlements could be listed here, including published court decisions.)
Deborah Schwartz v. The UNX Companies LLC, UNX LLC, Broadhaven Capital Partners, LLC, Pritzker Company LLC, and Thomas Kim
Mr. Grenert represented Thomas Kim, the former CEO of UNX, and won a decision denying all of the claims of a former employee of UNX against the company and Mr. Kim for wrongful termination and fraudulent inducement of employment.
Eric Alt, et al. v. Robertson Stephens, Inc., et al.
Mr. Grenert was one of the attorneys who represented 42 former employees of investment bank Robertson Stephens, Inc. in winning almost $23 million ($14,690,000 plus prejudgment interest of approximately $8 million) for compensation claims after over 75 days of trial.
Nancy Thomas v. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.
Mr. Grenert was one of the attorneys who represented Nancy Thomas in winning $420,000 plus her attorneys' fees (which the parties agreed were $1,000,000) for gender discrimination and retaliation against Merrill Lynch after 36 days of trial and testimony from 22 witnesses. Ms. Thomas had been a financial consultant and one of the named class plaintiffs in a class action against Merrill Lynch for gender discrimination in the distribution of client accounts.
Stephen B. Sawtelle v. Waddell & Reed, Inc., et al.
Mr. Grenert was one of the attorneys who represented Stephen Sawtelle in winning an arbitration award of $27,574,499, including $25 million in punitive damages (one of the largest punitive damages awards ever in a securities industry arbitration), and expungement of his Form U-5, against Waddell & Reed, Inc. for violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA). The Arbitration Panel found, after over 50 days of trial, that after Waddell & Reed terminated Mr. Sawtelle as a mutual fund broker and he joined another firm, Waddell Reed unfairly competed with Mr. Sawtelle by orchestrating a campaign of deception, which included giving the impression to clients that he had mishandled their investments, was untrustworthy, was no longer in business, was not authorized to do business, and was in some way involved with the embezzling of client funds, and by re-routing Mr. Sawtelle's mail and telephone lines so that calls and mail intended for Mr. Sawtelle were received by Waddell & Reed. After post-award litigation in court, Mr. Sawtelle and Waddell & Reed agreed upon a settlement such that Mr. Sawtelle received a total of about $10 million.
Helen R. Gallucci and the Gallucci Family Limited Partnership v. Salomon Smith Barney, Inc.
Mr. Grenert was one of the attorneys who represented Helen Gallucci and a family partnership in winning $328,497 on her claims as a customer against her brokerage firm, Salomon Smith Barney, for unsuitable trading and use of margin loans, churning her accounts to generate excessive commissions, and failure to supervise her accounts.
Richard Fisher v. Greenwich Partners, LLC
Mr. Grenert represented Richard Fisher and won an award against Greenwich Partners of $178,005 in compensatory damages, plus interest, and $62,435 in attorneys' fees, for breach of his employment contract and violation of the Connecticut Wage Law, which entitled him to double his unpaid compensation.
